John 14:11-14 11. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. 12. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

[A] The last time we met we looked at verses eleven and twelve, so I will not say much about them now. I included them so that we would have a bases for starting our study today.

Verse thirteen - And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

[A] There is more to asking for something in Jesus name than just saying I Jesus name [1] We must ask for things that are in the will of the Father and the Son [2] God is not going to do things just because I desire them and say in Jesus name, unless it is something that is in his will, for instance, I don’t believe that God would give me an expensive new car just because I say in Jesus name. Our prayers must be according to God’s will, according to what his Holy Word tells us is possible. [3] To say in Jesus Name is to say according to the word of Jesus, or in honor of him.

[B] Jesus said when we ask for something in his name he would do it, so that his Father would be glorified. [1] This goes back to what Jesus was saying earlier, I am in the Father, and the Father in me

Verse fourteen - If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

[A] This statement would seem to go against what I was just saying,

[B] On the surface, one would gather that anything you want, regardless of what it is, if you ask it in Jesus name he will give it to you. [1] I believe that is true, for anything that is according to God’s will. [2] I do not believe that Jesus will do anything you ask if it’s against God’s will, or outside of his plan for your life.

[C] How do I know then what God’s will is before I ask for it? [1] We learn by reading and studying his Holy Word. [2] We learn through the inspiration of the Holy Sprit.

[D] Should I believe that I can ask God for a new car, in Jesus name when my old one is OK?

[E] Should I believer that God would want me to ask in Jesus name, for riches, and fame?

[F] Should I believe that God would want me to ask him to heal someone in Jesus name?

John 14:15 15. If ye love me, keep my commandments.

[A] What does this verse say to you? [1] If one loves Jesus, they are to keep his commandments. [2] Keeping his commandments is how we show Christ our love? [3] One is not supposed to keep his commandments out of fear, he came that we would not have fear, and so that the legalism of the Law would be forfeit. [4] We are to do his commandments because we love him and want to please him in everything we do. [a] If one does not keep his commandments they do not love him [b] If one has love for him, they will desire to do everything he told us to do [c] The reason we do so, is so that he will be proud of us, we are doing so to try to please him

John 14:16-18 16. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Verse sixteen - And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

[A] What we have here, is a promise from Jesus that he would pray and ask the Father to send a Comforter to his disciples. [1] Jesus was going to pray [a] This refers to Christ’s intercession for us after his death and after he ascended back to heaven, [b] This prayer of Jesus was to connected with their keeping his commandments. [2] How he makes intercession in heaven for his people is something we do not know. The fact that he does, however, is clearly made known, Romans 8:34 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.; [3] It is as the result of his intercession in heaven for us, that we obtain our blessings, [4] IT t is through him that our prayers are presented to God.

[B] Another Counselor [1] Jesus had been counselor, a guide, and a friend to his disciples while he was yet with them. [2] He had instructed them, taught them to love all men, [3] He had corrected them and showed them how to live their lives

[C] Jesus was about to leave his disciples and return to His Father in Heaven so his disciples needed another Counselor to help them and to give them guidance. [1] This other Comforter was to be given as a compensation for his absence [2] He was to perform the office toward them Jesus himself would have performed if he had remained with them personally.

[D] From this we can learn, in part, what the Holy Spirit is supposed to do. [1] The Holy Spirit It is to furnish to all Christians for the instruction and consolation we would be given by Jesus if he was present [2] He is to inspire us with the knowledge of truth, [3] He is to convince men of their

Verse seventeen - Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

[A] The Spirit of truth. [1] He is called the Spirit of truth because he would teach the truth to all believers [2] He would guide the believer into all truth, [3] He is to keep the believer from error, and teach them the truth, which, either by writing or preaching, they were are to communicate to others.

[B] The world. [1] The term world denotes all who are under the influence of the things of this world [a] pride, [b] ambition, [c] pleasure; [2] This would also include all those who are not Christians,

[D] Cannot receive. [1] They cannot admit that the Holy Spirit has come [2] They cannot receive the enlightening and purifying of the Holy Spirit. [3] The reason they cannot is what Jesus immediately added.

[E] Because it seeth him not. [1] The men of the world are under the influence of the own senses and not faith in God. [a] They walk by sight, not by faith. [2] If they cannot perceive something with their senses, it does not exist [3] If it does not gratify their sight, taste, or feeling, it makes no impression on them. [4] Since they cannot see the Holy Spirit, they assume that everything said of him is wrong therefore they cannot receive him.

[F] Neither knoweth him. [1] To know something means more than just understanding it. [a] Concerning things of God, understanding is not enough, it is a place to start, but it cannot end there [b] Understanding has not root, and no meaning if it is not put into practice and acted upon [1-a] I understand it is wrong to sin - but if I sin anyway, what good is the understanding I have [2-1] I understand if I do certain things I will suffer for them - if I go ahead and do them, what good was the understanding [2] I can read the scriptures, and know that God sent the Holy Spirit to the disciples - yet if I refuse to believe and accept that he lives in me, and allow him to work through me, what good is that knowledge [3] I believe that this is one of the biggest problems we face in the Church today. [a] We know that the Holy Spirit exists, because the bible tells us so [b] We sometimes see the evidence of him in things that take place [c] We know that He lives in us [d] Yet we fail to believe that he has empowered us to do the work of Jesus, empowered us with Spiritual Gifts, and guides us in everything we do. [e] I think as a whole, we are afraid of letting the Holy Spirit take hold of us, fearing what we might do or say [4] We Know who He is, and we understand that God sent Him to us, but we do not know him personally

[G] But ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. [1] This was a promise to all disciples, [a] The Holy Spirit will live in us, ` [b] The Holy Spirit will comfort us [2] But in order to have his comfort, we must acknowledge that he is there and accept his presence and help

Verse eighteen - I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

[A] In the Greek, the word used here for comfortless, means Orphans [1] Jesus is addressing his disciples as children [2] He is addressing them as their parent [3] He is explaining that he is going away, but even so he would see to their being provided for. [4] He would not leave them alone, but would provide someone to look after them and to see to their needs

[B] Even though he was going to die, he would still be with his followers through the Spirit

[C] Even though he was going away to heaven, he would return again to see them

[D] Questions [1] What is the purpose of the Holy Spirit? [2] What role does He play in your life? [3] What is his role in the church? [4] Why do we quench the Holy Spirit in our lives?

John 14:19-20 19. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

Verse nineteen [A] Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more [1] Jesus spoke these words the day before he was put to death [2] The world would see him for only one more day, and then he would be cut off from the world - cut off from the land of the living [3] To the world, at that time, Jesus would be dead [4] To the Jews, the Scribed and the Pharisee, those who had him put to death, he was no more, and they would never see him again, until the judgment day when they stood before him to answer for their sins. [5] To those who cried out crucify him, crucify him, he would be gone and seen no more, unless they accepted him as their saviour and repented of their sins, and followed him [6] Notice he said that the world would see him no more, the world is the sinners, and those who are unrepentant

[B] But ye see me: because I live [1] How can this be? [2] How would the followers of Christ see him? [3] How do we see him? [a] The disciples seen Jesus at his appearances after his resurrection [b] They and we, see the evidence of Jesus is everything - we feel his presence, we see his power, and we experience his love

[C] Because I live, ye shall live also. [1] This my friends is a wonderful promise to all who believe in Jesus - because he lives, we shall live also [a] Jesus is about to be put to death, yet he says because he is alive [b] How can he make such a statement? [c] How can he be alive and yet be put to death [d] How can we live just because Jesus lived [e] Most of the Disciples were put to death, how could the be living [f] Unless Jesus returns and raptures us home, each of us are going to die, so how can we live?

Verse 20 - At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

[A] At that day. [1] At the time when his life would be fully manifested to them they would have full assurance that he lived. [2] This refers to the time after his resurrection, [3] This also refers to the way he manifest himself to them, to prove he was alive. [4] How did Jesus manifest himself to prove he was alive [a] He ate with them [b] He allowed them to touch him [c] He fellowshipped with them

[B] I am in my Father [1] God the Father and God the Son is intimately and eternally connected [2] They have been and will forever be one

[C] Ye in me and I in you [1] The same holds true for the believers in Christ and himself [2] Those who believe in Jesus and follow him, will be intimately and eternally connected to him [3] Christ will never and has never left one of his followers alone, He is always with us, and is always there to comfort us and give us the help we need to make it.